Green Line Engagement Update

I wish to extend a thank you to all the individuals that have been working hard on refining, developing and communicating these Green Line Developments. I would also like to thank all of the Calgarians that spent the time to participate with the online and in-person engagement opportunities.

Public engagement on the updated Stage 1 alignment, with a focus on Segment 2- Elbow River to 16 Avenue North took place from January 29 to April 30th 2020, with the purpose of gathering feedback understand public sentiment

In-person events included:

• Four openhouse events held in March in communities where changes to the alignment were proposed, including Beltline, Eau Claire, Chinatown and Crescent Heights

• Six pop-upinformation sessions held in various locations along the entire Green Line route from North Pointe to Seton

Before we proceed with the new updates, I would like to draw you attention to some key dates to be ready for.

Participation in the Green Line Committee Meeting on June 1

The Green Line Committee meeting on June 1 will have a public feedback component. To limit the spread of COVID-19 and to avoid mass gatherings, people can participate in the meeting virtually and by telephone.

How to provide a public submission:

• Written public submissions are due at 12 p.m. on May 25. Use the online form to provide a written public submission. Form can be found here: www.engage.calgary.ca/greenline

• Members of the public can sign up to speak at the meeting until June 1, just so long as the item they want to speak to hasn’t already passed.

• Public wishing to speak are invited to contact the City Clerk’s Office by email at publicsubmissions@calgary.ca to register and to receive further information.

• City Clerks will send out instructions on how to speak
during the meeting by phone to members of the public who register leading up to
and on the day of meeting.

And now a summary of the Updates

Centre
Street North

Recommending a middle-running alignment on
Centre Street N to balance community desire for pedestrian realm improvements,
like comfortable and safe for pedestrian sidewalks, opportunities to plant trees,
access to businesses/ community and efficient LRT operations with top LRT speed
of 50km/ hour

Surface-running LRT in the middle of Centre Street N provides
dedicated left turn bays at

16 Avenue N in both the southbound and
northbound directions

12 Avenue N in both the southbound and northbound
directions

10 Avenue N in the northbound direction

9 Avenue
N in the southbound direction

7 Avenue N in the northbound direction

The City is recommending a station at 9 Avenue North as part
of Green Line Stage 1

Would allow better connection to Crescent
Heights

Enable more opportunities for transit-oriented
development in Crescent Heights

The smaller community sized station that would
be constructed at 9 Avenue North will help manage project costs and fit into
the context of the Neighborhood

Bow River Crossing

The city is continuing its refinement of how the bridge will
connect on the north and south sides of the Bow River, and how it will
integrate within the surrounding natural and built environment.

The City is recommending that the new LRT bridge
include a multi-use pathway for pedestrians and cyclists. Details of how this
will be incorporated into the structure will be determined during the next
stage of bridge planning.

What happens to existing Centre Street Bridge?

To support improved travel time reliability for
BRT users in north Calgary, the two centre vehicle lanes on the Centre Street
bridge will be re-purposed as permanent dedicated BRT lanes.

Outer lanes will remain useable for vehicle
traffic

Downtown

Architectural sketch commissioned by The City that depicts what a station entrance at 2 Street SW and Riverfront Avenue SW might look like once integrated into the future redevelopment of the Eau Claire Market site

Integration of the 2 Avenue S.W. Station and Portal into the
Eau Claire Market redevelopment site

The Green Line Team have responded to concerns
expressed by area businesses and property owners by revising the 2 Avenue S.W.
station area by moving the portal and station out of the road right-of-way and
integrating the LRT infrastructure directly into the future Eau Claire Market
redevelopment site.

By integrating the portal and 2 Avenue S.W.
station into the redevelopment site, the LRT alignment will remain partially
underground until the train exits through a portal at the north end of the
property, in the vicinity of Waterfront Mews S.W. This new station layout could
mean that Green Line will not impact the existing public road network in the area.

Opportunities
for integrated stations: Downtown and Beltline

The City is continuing to work on the planning
of underground stations at 7 Avenue S.W., Centre Street S, and 4 Street S.E. to
determine exactly where station and their entrances will be located

Over next few months the Green Line Team will be
meeting with developers and landowners in station areas to explore potential
opportunities to collaborate on integrating station entrances into existing or
future private developments.